July 1, 2003	Tuesday	Rabi-us-Sani 30, 1424

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PESHAWAR, June 30: Three opposition lawmakers and the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal’s 12 women lawmakers staged a token walkout to denounce harassment of the Sharif family women and police raids on their houses in Lahore.

Speaking on a point of order, Anwar Kamal Marwat of the Pakistan Muslim League drew the attention of the chair towards the siege- and-search operations in Raiwind and Model Town in Lahore.

He said the police, on the directives of Punjab and federal governments, had raided houses of Shabaz Sharif to deport Ms Sharif and their two daughters, who arrived to attend a family wedding in Lahore.

He claimed the Punjab government had disconnected power and water supply to their residences.

When Mr Marwat was denouncing the police action against the Sharif family, PML-Q members stood up and justified the police action against the women saying they had overstayed in Lahore. PML-Q leaders Saeed Khan, Nighat Orakzai and Riffat Akbar Swati (PPP-S) said the Sharif family didn’t honour its agreement with the government.

ANP leader Bashir Ahmed Bilour suggested the House to adopt a unanimous resolution against the police raids on the houses of former Punjab chief minister Shahbaz Sharif and harassment of the women but his suggestion was not entertained.

Mr Marwat, along with his colleagues, walked out of the House. The MMA women lawmakers flayed the police action and followed the PML protesters. Awami National Party Bashir Ahmed Bilour and People’s Party Parliamentarians’ Abdul Akbar Khan also denounced the police action and took part in the walkout. Maulana Mujahid al-Hussaini, an MMA MPA from Nowshera, also staged the walkout.

In the absence of their opposition colleagues, PML-Q and PPP-S MPAs criticised former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and his family members for striking a deal with President Pervez Musharraf for a safe exit from the country.

MMA Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affair Malik Zafar Azam urged the PML-Q members to bring that agreement before the House. He said if Nawaz Sharif had struck a deal, the PML-Q should make it public.

MPA Qari Abdullah Bangash from Hangu said if Nawaz Sharif was a corrupt leader, why President Musharraf allowed him to go abroad.

Giving his r uling on the issue, Speaker Bakhat Jahan Khan said they couldn’t interfere in the affairs of the Punjab government. He also expressed his concern over the harassment of women. He urged all lawmakers not to press the matter further.

When Mr Marwat returned to the House he thanked MMA women and his opposition MPAs (PPP and ANP) for extending support to him on the issue.